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The United States had been pursuing an Open Door Policy in China - that is, they wanted to make sure the Chinese market was open to American products. The United States did not want China or portions of China to be controlled by other countries such as Japan, Britain or other European countries. Thus they objected to the Second Sino-Japanese War and the occupation of part of China by Japanese troops. In protest, the United States sent support to the Chinese Nationalist Government of Chiang Kai-shek, froze Japanese assets in the United States, and imposed an oil embargo on Japan.
In November of 1941 the Japanese government approved the plan for the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the same time, they made a last effort to arrive at a diplomatic solution of their differences with the United States (see entry for Hirohito). Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura presented two proposals to the American government.
The first, proposal A, he presented on November 6, 1941. It proposed making a final settlement of the Sino-Japanese war with a partial withdrawal of Japanese troops. The United States had deciphered some of Japan's diplomatic codes, so they knew that there was a second, follow-up proposal in case proposal A failed. The United States government stalled and then rejected proposal A on November 14, 1941.
On November 20, Nomura presented proposal B, which proposed that Japan stop further military action in return for 1 million gallons (3,800 m³) of aviation fuel from the United States. The United States was about to make a counter offer to this plan which included a monthly supply of fuel for civilian use. However, President RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt Order 32nd President Term of Office March 4, 1933 April 12, 1945 Predecessor Herbert Hoover Successor Harry S. Truman Date of Birth January 30, 1882 Place of Birth Hyde Park, New York Date of Death April 12, 1945 Place of Death W received a leak of Japan's war plan and news that Japanese troop ships were on their way to IndochinaIndochina or French Indochina was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in south-east Asia, part of the French colonial empire. It consisted of Cochin China, Tonkin, Annam (all of which now form Vietnam), Laos and the Khmer Republic (now Cambo. He decided the Japanese were not being sincere in their negotiations and instructed Secretary of StateUnited Kingdom In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department. Secretary of State positions can be created without primary legislation; and legislation refers to 'Secretary of State', which is Cordell HullCordell Hull ( October 2, 1871 July 23, 1955) was Secretary of State of the United States from 1933- 1944 under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945. Hull was born in Pickett County, Tennessee. He attended Nati to drop the counter-proposal.
On November 26, 1941 Secretary Hull presented the Japanese ambassador with the 'Hull note', which as one of its conditions demanded the complete withdrawal of all Japanese troops from China. After a costly war to establish its interests there, Japan could not accept this. Japanese prime ministerThe Prime Minister of Japan ( Naikaku sori daijin is the head of government of Japan. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Emperor after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives t Hideki Tojo said to his cabinet, "this is an ultimatum."
The strike force which attacked Pearl Harbor set sail on the same day, November 26. It could have been recalled along the way, but no further diplomatic progress was made.